Mad Libs
much madness is divinest sense to a discerning eye
the light at the end of the tunnel 
About the Author
Diana Pharaoh Francis
High Fantasy Adventure
Quote of the Nonce
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Fail again. Fail better.
~Samuel Beckett

Probably, indeed, the larger part of the labor of an author composing his work is critical labor; the labor of sifting, combining, constructing, expunging, correcting, testing. This frightful toil is as much critical as creative.
~T.S. Eliot

The real secret of magic is that the world is made of words, and that if you know the words that the world is made of you can make of it whatever you wish. ~Terence McKenna

Tell the readers a story! Because without a story, you are merely using words to prove you can string them together in logical sentences.
~Anne McCaffrey

The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon.
~Robert Cormier

If you don't feel that you are possibly on the edge of humiliating yourself, of losing control of the whole thing, then probably what you are doing isn't very vital. If you don't feel like you are writing somewhat over your head, why do it? If you don't have some doubt of your authority to tell this story, then you are not trying to tell enough.
~ John Irving

Sometimes making stuff up feels a lot like Coyote* running across the empty space between one rocky pinnacle and the next, and as long as you keep moving you're fine. When you stop and look down, it's suddenly all too apparent that there's absolutely nothing underneath and that you're keeping in the air by a peculiar effort of will.

And then a good day comes, and you start running through the air once again, and, if you're smart, you resolutely don't look down. ~Neil Gaiman
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19th-Jan-2008 03:25 pm
Well. finished all the revisions and now am cleaning up a problem I made by doing a global change and making sure that I comb for anything out of place. I think it works. I think I may even be happy with it.  Sigh.

There's a writers meme going around. I ain't doing it. Sorry. 

It's about to get really fucking cold here. And by that, I mean, at least -16. Um. Hawaii anyone?

I have nothing to say today of any particular intelligence, except that I was disappointed that when I went to a bookstore last night, the new Carol Berg book Breath and Bone was not there, nor was C. E. Murphy's Urban Shaman. But I have never read Jim Butcher's Furies series and so I picked up a couple of those to start on.  I was there for Patty Briggs' signing. She, incidentally, is one of the most fabulous people on the planet, and so I also got a copy of her new Mercy book, Iron Kissed. We had dinner with her and her husband in which much fun was had and good food consumed.  And that's when I discovered that Patty has an ARC of Anne Bishop's new Black Jewels novel. I had/have an enormous case of envy. I love the Black Jewels books. Though beware, they are violent and dark. But the characters are . . . I  think they are  really amazing, compelling and  I am so glad she wrote another book in that world.

 However, sitting right here to my left is the new Mark Henry book (ARC--ha!) that has been my promised reward for finishing revisions. I'm almost there. Almost.  There.

What are you guys up to this weekend?  Tomorrow will be football for me. And reading of course. Fire in the fireplace, popcorn, frigid outside weather . . . .it will be good.
comma sutra
Comments 
19th-Jan-2008 11:42 pm (UTC)
I LOVE your avatar! Comma Sutra! hahahahahahahaha:)
congrats on finishing your revision... hell:)

do the meme, do the meme!

Cold sucks. I hate the cold.

I want an ARC, I'll take an ARC of how pigs fly:)

FOOTBALL!!!! Go Patriots, it's your birthday, 18-0, Go Tom, and Randy, and Wes, and Bill and they're not cheaters:) Also, CAN'T wait to see the NFC Champ game either! I think the Pack will win, but would be interesting to see a pats/giants lineup.

but it'll be the pats/pack lineup (this time we'll win:))
[info]lalam
20th-Jan-2008 06:30 pm (UTC)
Yeah, I've been finding new icons lately. I liked that one too

I'd like to see an ARC of how pigs fly. I bet it involves catapults.

I'm looking forward to seeing how the games go. so long as I finish.

Di
[info]difrancis
19th-Jan-2008 11:59 pm (UTC)
What are you guys up to this weekend?

Writing. Standing back-up on the prep stuff for Saltation. Laundry, which I, uh, somehow forgot to do today.

The excitement, it never stops.
[info]rolanni
20th-Jan-2008 06:29 pm (UTC)
Laundry shmaundry. Just go naked. Oh, is it cold by chance in Maine? Cause then you might want to at least wear slippers.
[info]difrancis
20th-Jan-2008 12:12 am (UTC) - Weekend Plans
i'm in a weekend intensive version of Cultural Anthropology...it's kinda fun, kind of not. Very easy for which i am happy. The grad school apps are out the door and now i get to play a waiting game. Working on some of the short story ideas that have come along recently, and really trying to get into the habit of writing a little bit every day. Twenty-page days are awesome...but when that only happens once a week...mlech.

Gratz on picking up the Butcher novels. And i agree with you on Bishop, i love her books...i read the except from the new one and i wasnt as enthused as i thought i'd be. I hope the full book is good. Oh, and i'd let you borrow my copy of Breath and Bone or C.E. Murphy but you live so far away... :)
-Sean
[info]drakos_inferno
20th-Jan-2008 06:28 pm (UTC) - Re: Weekend Plans
Crossing fingers on the apps. Do write every day. Yes. I recommend that highly. Even just a little.

I really hope her full book is good too. I bought the other Murphy books, but yanno, I'm crazy weird cause I want the first one too. And I have been waaaaaaiiiiitttttiiiiiinnnnnggggg for Carol's new book. I am now plotting another way to get my copy. Sigh.
[info]difrancis
20th-Jan-2008 12:14 am (UTC)
Tonight: finishing a short story.

Tomorrow: football, laundry, writing, and reading.

It's really frickin' cold here, too. I don't know what the wind chill is, but the temps are nearing the single digits. It's temperatures like this that make me realize I could never move any farther north than I am already (I'm in Central Illinois). During the summer I realize I can't move farther south, either. All I want is a place to live that's between 60 and 80 degrees all year round without any crowds or traffic. Is that too much to ask?
[info]kelly_swails
20th-Jan-2008 06:26 pm (UTC)
Go girl! Finish!

Yeah, I don't even want to think about windchills. I want to move to Oregon. I used to live in CA and I like the weather, but it's way to expensive. Oregon I love. So that's a goal for me. No more midwest. I've lived in Iowa and Indiana. Don't like round winds, don't like thick, heavy snow and humidity you can cut with a knife.

Di
[info]difrancis
20th-Jan-2008 10:09 pm (UTC)
Oregon sounds good. Washington's an option, too. Ken and I honeymooned in Seattle and we always talk about living there.
[info]kelly_swails
20th-Jan-2008 04:01 am (UTC)
Congrats on the near-finished revisions. That's awesome!

I thought I'd go out to the bars here tonight, but damned if it isn't somewhere around -10. I'm keeping my ass home with a bottle of rum. Am watching the Barrett-Jackson auto auctions right now, and trying to not go stir-crazy. Supposed to hit close to -30 here tomorrow. Yikes.
[info]clowe
20th-Jan-2008 06:25 pm (UTC)
yeah. And I'm so glad I'm not up there where it's really cold. Right now we're at about 8 and it's dropping. Snow is falling so it's kinda pretty. Thinking about building a fire and making hot things.

Don't go stir crazy. Just . . . write. Eh?

Di
[info]difrancis
20th-Jan-2008 05:13 am (UTC)
Football! And Wif Burritos and possibly cappuchino chocolate chip muffins, depending on how ambitious I get.

I love the Furies novels. They are SO COOL.
[info]agilebrit
20th-Jan-2008 06:24 pm (UTC)
Wif burritos? Explain these to me.

Oh. Dear. Those muffins sound good. And perfect for a writer. Caffeine and chocolate rolled into a yummy snack.

And football today too. Yessssss.
[info]difrancis
20th-Jan-2008 06:41 pm (UTC)
Well, I call the Hubby "Hubby" (for obvious reasons), and he calls me "Wif" (short for "wife."). I created a recipe for burritos based on what I personally like in Mexican food (I loathe beans of any kind, and rice is really not my thing unless you've got a liberal dose of ettouffe with it), and came up with this:

1/2 lb ground beef
3-4 small tomatoes or one big tomato
1 green pepper
half a can of black olives
1-2 slices of onion
2 tablespoons of taco seasoning
3/4 cup water
soft taco sized flour tortillas
cheese (optional)
picante sauce

Chop the veggies and mix them up in a bowl. I add some parsley flakes and Italian seasoning too. Brown the ground beef, then add the taco seasoning and the water and cook until the water is mostly boiled out.

We have this on Sundays for football and NASCAR watching. I don't remember where I stole the muffin recipe from (it was a FOAF, I know that), but they are TASTY. I use decaf because otherwise we'd be up all night.

2 cups flour (I use whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tbsp instant coffee
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use applesauce)
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I use the mini ones)

Preheat oven to 375*F
Mix the first five ingredients in a bowl; in a large bowl, beat the next three. Mix together, and then add the chocolate chips. Spoon into greased or lined muffin tins, bake for 18-20 minutes, or until they pass the toothpick test. Makes 8-12 muffins.

Enjoy!
[info]agilebrit
20th-Jan-2008 01:36 pm (UTC)
Cold BITES!!! It's -15 here today and that's without the windchill...-50 with it! But...if you want a new haircut, all you have to do is step out the door after your shower for 10 seconds max!

I'm glad to hear you're getting somewhere with your book...can I read it now? :D Hopefully you'll get a chance to reply to mail before too terribly long, but I'm gonna be gone til the end of the week for Cassie's surgery. Have a great day!
[info]goldenrose23
20th-Jan-2008 06:23 pm (UTC)
soon. I really hope the surgery goes very well. I'll be sending all the good vibes I've got. I've got a little more tinkering to do. Discovered a couple inconsistencies I need to fix and then I should be done.
[info]difrancis
21st-Jan-2008 12:06 am (UTC)
Hope it works really well! I was cheering myself (very quietly) at work last night because I found out I was VERY close to right on with my guesses about your third book! I'm sooooo good lol.

Hopefully you'll have a bit more time again when you're done with the revisions. Gotta run again.
[info]goldenrose23
20th-Jan-2008 04:24 pm (UTC)
I'll bite. What's a writers meme?
[info]smokingpigeon
20th-Jan-2008 06:21 pm (UTC)
It's a list of questions running around the intarblogs. Specially LJ. Here they are if you want to answer:

1. Your genre(s)?


2. How many books have you completed?

3. How many books are you working on now?


4. Are you a linear or chunk writer?


5. The POV you're most partial to?

6. The theme that keeps cropping up in your books?


7. How many days a week do you write?


8. What time of day do you get your best writing done?


9. Who are your inspirations?


10. Who are your favorite authors to read? (different from mentors)
[info]difrancis
20th-Jan-2008 10:37 pm (UTC)
Boy I'm ignorant. What's an intarblog?

My answers would be

1 fantasy, romance, horror, sf, mainstream, whatever
2 15 books
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
[info]smokingpigeon
20th-Jan-2008 10:41 pm (UTC)
Boy I'm ignorant. What's an intarblog?

My answers would be

1 fantasy, romance, horror, sf, mainstream, whatever
2 15 books
3 working on two books right now, not counting galleys
4 linear, I guess, with a strong outline
5 favorite POV is deep limited third person
6 theme: be yourself good and hard
7 days I write? depends--if I'm on deadline, five to seven
8 anytime is a good time for me to write
9 inspirations: everywhere, lots of people, many not even writers
10 favorites to read: Jenny Crusie, Terry Pratchett, Capn Dan Pinkwater, Georgette Heyer, Rex Stout, P.G. Wodehouse, moremoremore, many of them dead
[info]smokingpigeon
20th-Jan-2008 04:46 pm (UTC)
You going to make Radcon next month?
[info]ramblin_phyl
20th-Jan-2008 06:22 pm (UTC)
Yep! Got the hotel reservation (best western as it turns out) and I've ordered clear passes through Montana and Idaho (but you know how those little elementals can be). Can't wait. Going to be very very fun.

Di
[info]difrancis
20th-Jan-2008 09:32 pm (UTC)
Best Western is across the parking lot from the con hotel. Better rooms and they have a breakfast bar. As long as it's warmer than 9 degrees with a -9 windchill (2 years ago) you'll be fine.

Last year we did all the weapons demos outside in shorts and Ts. Never know what you'll find in Tri Cities.

Lizzy Shannon and I are going up Thursday morning, doing a school workshop that afternoon. Party in the green room Thurs night as we stuff reg packets.
[info]ramblin_phyl
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